Poisonous Snake {Draco Malfoy Fanfiction}

Chapter 13: The Malfoy Reception

Hermione was combing my hair, standing behind me while I patiently waited on my chair. We had decided for me to come to her dorm so she could provide some much-needed moral support. 

- "If anything seems wrong, you immediately come back, okay?" she declared. 

I nodded, a big lump in my throat. I was terrified. 

The last two weeks had been a stressful nightmare. We had been planning every possibilities with Harry, Ron and Hermione and I knew I was ready for this reception. Still, I couldn't help but worry about some eventual plot twist we hadn't considered. Hermione pulled my hair up into an elegant bun with a few loose strands of hair.

- "I'm done, take a look." she announced. 

I looked up at the mirror and saw how pale I was. I looked almost sick. But I pushed my fears aside and examined Hermione's work. Objectively, I looked really nice: she had used very little to no makeup on my eyes, but had painted my lips a soft red. In a way, my lips were the only colour in my outfit, and it lightened my anxious face which I was grateful for.  She had also managed to conceal the dark circles under my eyes, witnesses of the numerous sleepless nights I'd had. 

Our eyes met in the mirror in front of us, and I gave her a small smile to reassure her. However, she saw right through me. 

- "It's going to be fine, Y/N. As long as there are other people, you're safe. They won't bring up your... um, relative." 

- "Thank you. And thank you for the help, I look almost alive." I laughed. 

We got up to join Harry and Ron in the Gryffindor common room. I slowly got down the stairs, not wanting to fall on my ass due to the high heels I was wearing. I was welcomed by two open-mouthed boys, gaping at me. 

- "You look really good Y/N." Harry said, politely. 

- "Bloody hell..." Ron exclaimed.

I was wearing a black bustier gown, the fabric was fitted until my waist and then broke into a frothy full skirt, stopping below my knees. I had never worn a dress like this. Yet I felt like a doomed princess...

- "Thanks." I said, not really in the mood for compliments. 

- "Remember, you can leave whenever you feel like it." Harry indicated. 

- "And you'll tell us everything." Ron said. 

I nodded to the trio, it was time for me to go. I put on some fancy black satin gloves, grabbed my things and got a hold of the portkey that was supposed to bring me to the Malfoy Manor: a little bronze statue, a fallen angel whose arms were bind by a snake's grip. Feeling shivers running down my spine at the sight of the creepy statue, I shot one last look at my friends before disappearing into the void. 

Landing on a gravel path in the night - not without a little nauseous stumbling - I looked around me to take my surroundings in. I was standing in front of the mansion, a few stairs leading to the porch. Behind me, I could see a dark road with gloomy trees and then, further down, the propriety's antique wrought iron gate. I was too close to the mansion to evaluate its height but from where I was it seemed massive. 

Reduced to a ball of nerves, I made my way to the door, I took a breath and rang the bell. I was welcomed by a house elf. He didn't say anything to me, he just pointed towards the direction I was supposed to walk to. I walked down the big entrance, and just before I could reach the doors the elf had indicated they suddenly opened in front of me, taking me by surprise. Narcissa Malfoy emerged, followed by her husband, Lucius. I could see behind them the 'ballroom' where a lot of people were chatting, not dancing yet.